PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S M Wright

Publications and source records attributed to S M Wright.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Terminally ill patients' and families' responses to participation in a research study.

Evaluations of the effect of interventions on the terminally ill focus on outcomes such as patient satisfaction and quality of life. Due to the theoretical nature of these measures, researchers must rely on patients and family members as primary data sources. Family members of terminally ill patients wee queried concerning their motives for participation in the National Hospice Study and their reactions to an intensive interview schedule. Of those contacted, 94% agreed to the interview. The most frequently cited reasons for participating in the study were the desire to help other families facing a serious illness and the desire to help the hospice movement. Responses indicated a real enthusiasm for study participation in spite of the stressful nature of the terminally ill patient's situation.

Family↗
PubMed1984

Relationship of the preferred vertical dimension of occlusion to the height of the complete dentures in use.

The dependence of the preferred vertical dimension of occlusion (PVDO) of edentulous subjects on the height of the complete dentures the subjects were wearing was investigated. Two experiments were carried out. Experiment I tested whether PVDO is influenced by a change in the vertical dimension of occlusion of the dentures. Experiment II compared PVDO values before and after insertion of dentures that had been constructed with an occlusal vertical dimension equal to PVDO. It is concluded that PVDO is independent of the height of the complete dentures the subject is wearing. Clinical implications are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

The effect of body posture on the preferred vertical dimension of occlusion.

Thirteen edentulous adults were investigated to see whether their preferred vertical dimension of occlusion (PVDO) was affected by vertical and horizontal body posture. The PVDO was found by the forced choice method using a graduated series of sticks in random sequence. The subjects were tested in both postures on two separate occasions. No significant difference was found between the PVDO's when the subjects were sitting upright and when they were supine. Nor was there any significant difference in the PVDO of the first and second sessions for either position.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Metabolic effects of nicotinamide administration in rats.

Male rats fed a 12% casein diet without choline were injected i.p. daily for 2 or 5 weeks with either saline or 6, 20 or 60 mg of nicotinamide (NAM) per 100 g body weight. Weight gain, food intake and gain/food were lower for the NAM-treated groups compared to the controls. Urinary excretion of the major metabolite, N1-methylnicotinamide (NMN) increased with increasing dose of NAM. NAM administration did not alter the activity of hepatic nicotinamide methyltransferase. Excretion of another metabolite, N1-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide (2-PYR) was low and showed minimal changes in response to NAM administration. NAM administration did not affect urinary creatinine excretion. Livers of the NAM-injected groups were hypertrophied, and the total lipid content was increased. Kidney hypertrophy was also noted. Plasma and liver choline levels were decreased in response to NAM administration. We conclude that chronic NAM administration resulted in a methyl-group deficiency state due to the greatly increased need for methylation of NAM.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Perception of vertical dimension.

Ten edentulous adults were investigated to learn more about the preferred vertical dimension of occlusion (PVDO) and the comfortable zone. A screw jack device was employed, using the forced-choice and external approach methods. The dimensional discrimination ability of each subject was assessed at the mean PVDO, and at points 3 mm above and below it. For each subject, both the forced-choice and external approach methods gave a mean PVDO value which was reasonably constant. The comfortable zone widths were less consistent. In all but two of the subjects the mean PVDO values appeared consistent with a clinically acceptable occlusal vertical dimension. No relationship was found between the dimensional discrimination ability of the subjects and their definition of PVDO and comfortable zone.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

The radiologic anatomy of patients who gag with dentures.

The past dental literature suggests that gagging in dental patients may be due to anatomic causes. Cephalometrically oriented lateral skull radiographs of 53 patients who were gaggers and of matched controls were examined for an anatomic cause of gagging. No evidence was found that the soft palate was especially long or steeply angled in patients who were gaggers. There was no tongue enlargement or reduction of the pharyngeal airway in patients who were gaggers which might render them intolerant of bulky dentures. The postures of the palate, tongue, and hyoid bone were compared in patients with and without their dentures. Wearing dentures caused less modification in the posture of these tissues in the gaggers than in their matched controls. In the absence of either gross abnormality of the radologic anatomy of those who were gaggers, or a marked change of posture of the oral tissues when the patients wore dentures, some other reason for gagging is likely. It is possible that patients who gag may have a more extensive distribution of the vagus nerve. With such an abnormality, physical stimulation of the mucosa in other parts of the mouth would cause gagging.

Cephalometry↗
PubMed1981

Oral awareness and oral motor proficiency in retchers.

It has been suggested that hypersensitivity and awareness of dentures are causes of retching associated with dentures and dental treatment. Oral form recognition (OFR) and oral motor (OM) ability were examined in fifty-three pairs of retchers and controls. The retchers had all had problems with retching when wearing dentures or during dental procedures. The controls were the same sex as the retchers and were matched with them as closely as possible for age, remaining teeth and edentulous spaces. No difference in OFR and OM ability was found between the paired subjects which might indicate that increased oral awareness contributed to the retchers' symptoms.

Aged↗